


The Galaxies That Burn Between Us

by rock_lee



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, HUGE AU, shep's mom is the best :~)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-06
Updated: 2015-08-06
Packaged: 2018-04-13 05:42:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4509984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rock_lee/pseuds/rock_lee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane Sheperd is elite among the military. A top dog, but not quite the biggest and baddest.<br/>And unfortunately, everyone has their scars. She is sent to recuperate at her old home with her mother, where an alien struggling to survive crashes into her life. </p><p>| shakarian / HUGE AU / DISCONTINUED (BEING REWRITTEN) |</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. With a Broken Soul

**Author's Note:**

> so this has been lingering in my head FOREVER so i'm finally going to do it!! my writing skills aren't what they use to be so if you see any mistakes, please let me know!

Clouds loomed high in the sky. Without the pollution of the city to hide everything, Shepard could see things clear as day. It reminded her of the tours she had been on - where she was the out in the unforgivable wilderness, tracking enemies in the gloom of the jungles, the heat of the sands, the danger of the mountains.  
But mostly, it reminded her of home. The small country farmhouse where she grew up with her loving mother and father, raising corn and wheat, cows and chickens...  
Her safe haven where she was being sent to.  
If it was up to her, she wouldn't even think about going here. She would be back on the field with her men, Ashley on her left and Kaidan to her right. She would be doing something useful.  
Hackett, damn him, had sent her home. 'You need this Jane,' he had said, 'your men are worried for you. Post traumatic stress disorder is a serious issue. Until you stop having episodes, you will not be in active duty. Please Jane, you of all people need a break.'  
She could see the small town center through the cars windshield. The one her mother and father would take her to when they went shopping or to see a movie. She remembered her friends living here and sleeping over in the small homes that lined the streets.  
Shepard frowned and leaned further into the seat, stretching her legs. It would it take them twenty more minutes until she reached home.  
"Commander, if I may ask," the driver started, "when was the last time you were off? I've never had a run this way before."  
Jane pursed her lips. "That's a good question." She looked out her window as they passed a couple of kids playing on the sidewalk. "I haven't."  
Her entire life had been dedicated to the Military. She never took breaks, always jumping right back into the action. That's how she climbed the ranks so quickly. It was strange for others seeing such a young solider so well respected. She didn't have time to think of her family, but that doesn't mean she did not care for them. She returned only for her fathers funeral for a few days. She did always sent letters and trinkets to her mother from all the places she has been and fought at.  
Shepard was selfish, she knew this, but she was scared. After her first tour. She was unsure how her mother would respond to her. Had Jane changed too much in the flames of the war? Would her mother feel like she was talking to a stranger?  
She didn't want to come face to face with the answer so she never came home.  
She was a coward and a fool. The rest of the drive was quiet and the driver hadn't commented after that. Some things were better not discussed.  
As she had predicted, they pulled up in front of the farm house only twenty minutes later. It took Shepard a moment upon seeing the home.  
Light blue sidings and white shutters, a dark grey tiled roof. The porch still had two wooden rocking chairs, faded with age and use. The flowerbeds that lined the house still bloomed beautifully in the spring air. It was exactly as it had been during her childhood.  
She took a deep breath as she stepped out of the vehicle. She was really here. The driver popped open the trunk just as the screen door swung open. Hannah Shepard, old, but still beautiful, stepped down onto the porch. Her eyes, dark green like Jane remembered them, locked onto her daughters. "Jane."  
"Mother..." Jane whispered, hesitant to take the first steps. It had been so long and the fear... the fear of change... still made her freeze. "I..."  
"Jane," her mother repeated, "Come here this instance and give your mother a hug. Right now."  
Shepard didn't even remember moving but she was suddenly pulled into such a warm and familiar embrace that she couldn't help but let out a small sob. Her mothers calloused hands clutched Jane tight as if she was scared the moment she let go, her daughter would disappear. "Oh Janey," she murmured into her hair, "oh my sweet, sweet Janey... I missed you terribly."  
Jane only let out a shaky laugh, eyes blurred with tears. "Mom, I'm so sorry."


	2. A Mother's Love

Jane had settled into her old room. It looked as if she never left - the bed was made, her desk still held old papers and her old terminal. A pair of her old running shoes laid by the foot of her bed.   
It felt like a high school summer all over again. A breathless laugh left her as she looked around. Her small bag of luggage was all unpacked and put away. She still had her dog tags around her neck. They were a familiar and comforting weight against the skin of her chest. A reminder of who she is. Standing in this room, she needed it. She was no longer the cocky teenager who was the fastest on the track team, or the scrawny girl who bested all the boys during the schools physical exams. She was Commander Jane Shepard, the woman who single handedly held off a rebel attack on a base on the eastern coast of Africa. She was a War Hero, a woman who had too many scars to count.   
"Jane?" She turned, meeting her mothers soft smile in the doorway.   
"Mom," Jane smiled, walking toward her.   
Her mother touched her daughters cheek, studying the freckles there. She use to tell Jane they were little constellations that fell onto her, for she use to stare at the night sky in such wonder. "I know this must be strange," Hannah whispered, using her other hand to tuck hair behind her daughters ear. "It's been so long. Just remember, you aren't a stranger here. You're a part of this home." Jane smiled, leaning into her mothers hand.   
"Thank you mom."   
Hannah laughed, pressing a loving kiss to Jane's temple. "That also means you have chores again. Old Tessa is still waiting for her hello, so why don't you go feed the animals. Unless you've forgotten how?"  
Instantly Jane perked up. "Tessa is still alive? How? That horse is ancient!" Hannah laughed and instead of answering, shooed her daughter from the room.   
"Go! Your mother is just as ancient and doesn't have the strength!" Jane laughed, taking her mothers playful swats and headed down the stairs. Passing through the kitchen (which looked the same, besides a few upgrades appliances), she stopped at the back door to slip her boots on.   
Upstairs, Hannah stood in her daughters room, tears in her old eyes. A smile ghosted her lips. "She's back," she whispered. It had been only a few years since her husband had died, but she knew he still watched over his two favorite girls. "I'm awfully mad at you for not being here to greet our daughter..." She sat on the edge of the old bed, smoothing some wrinkles from the sheet.   
At least she had Jane now. No more lonely dinners, no more cold nights and quiet mornings. Now she had her daughter, a piece of the family she thought was gone for good.


	3. Time Moves, But Something's Don't Change

Jane dumped the bucket of feed into the horses trough and smiled at the mare. "You're still kicking, huh? Guess things really didn't change around here." Jane stuck her hand over the stable walls and out toward Tessa.   
Tessa swayed, moving her big nose into Jane's open palm and tickled it with her velvety skin. Jane chuckled, running her nose before moving it along the length of her face, scratching behind the ashen mares ear. "Still a sweetheart, aren't you? Bet you still can run as fast as light." Tessa snorted, big brown eyes watching Jane in what could only be described as trusting.   
Tessa was the first and only horse Jane had even gotten. She got Tessa when she was still a little foal, born right in the barn from her mother. Jane's father told her that the little baby was all hers if she wanted it.   
Since then on, Tessa had been Jane's top priority, and that had been nearly twenty two years ago. Tessa was reaching her old age rapidly, but she still looked like a beautiful Arabian mare.   
"Maybe we can go for a ride? Later of course," Jane murmured, feeling a sudden rush of nostalgia.   
She was really here. Home, where she grew and learned. The place where she rode with her father, where she gardened with her mother. Where she learned how to butcher chickens and cook.   
Her mother even told her, she wasn't a stranger here, so why did it feel so strange? 

It had been two weeks since she had came home. Two weeks of nothing but love and affection. Jane had spend nearly every moment with her mom or the animals. It was rather... therapeutic. She had gotten a few calls from Alenko and Williams, each joking that she needed this vacation. She knew it was true. She knew she had PTSD from the countless moments of her life where the odds were not tipped in her favor.   
She still woke some nights with her throat burning from a scream, her mother already running through the door to hold her precious daughter to her chest and whisper soothing words.   
Some nights she didn't sleep at all. She would lay in bed, the sound of the wind chimes on the porch soothing, but it wasn't enough to stop the thoughts of blood and death from keeping her awake.   
This evening though, with the gentle wind and bearable heat, her mother was heading to town. "I'm a member of the school board and there is a meeting tonight," she said. "And don't give me that. Just because you're not in school anymore doesn't mean I don't care for education. I'll be back late. Oh! Also, I'm stopping at the market on the way back. Any requests?"   
Once she left, Jane had made her way to the barn. Tessa greeted her upon her entering and some of the cows stared at her with wide eyes.   
Tonight, she would ride.


	4. A Million Stars

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> now we get to drag poor garrus into this :~)  
> also! i'm uploading all i have written in a big blob! i'm not sure how often i'll be updating after all this, but who knows, maybe this story won't get any fans and i won't have to worry about steady updates lmao :~o

Garrus stared out the port side window, into the deep shadows of space. This is the farthest the Hierarchy had gone into uncharted space. Even with its unfamiliar territory, the stars still looked the same. A shame really. He was hoping for something exciting. Sure, they were chasing down a few batarian slaver ships, but this was a whole new area. There was bound to be something interesting out here, right?   
"Vakarian. Enjoying the view?" The ships captain, Adrien Victus, came to stand beside the gunnery chief. Victus was a longtime family friend and treated Garrus much like his son. It was comforting to know you served under a man you could trust.   
Garrus nodded his head. "As much as I can Sir. All stars look the same to me." Victus chuckled, patting his companions back.   
"You always were a pessimistic. Don't worry, we are catching up to the batarians, so prep your station. That gun better be ready to disable a ship."  
Garrus looked over at him. "Disable?"   
"Of course," Victus clarified, "we can't blow the ship to pieces. We need only to disable it so we may get the hostages off."  
Oh, Garrus nearly forgot that the slaves actually had victims aboard. Usually they caught them before they had their cargo. "I'll have the guns ready for your aim Captain."   
Victus smiled, "Good. Now excuse me, but I must prep myself. Goodbye Vakarian."   
Garrus gave him a simple salute before Victus left.


	5. Nothing is Routine

Garrus cursed, looking at the monitor. There was their target alright, two batarian ships at a standstill. But that wasn't all there was.   
A dormant Mass Relay, dark and menacing, hung behind the ships. He could make out a smaller ship docked at it. It looked like the batarians were activating it to make a jump. But to where? It didn't matter most likely, they probably were just trying to make their escape.   
And by the looks of it, they weren't going without a fight. To Garrus' right, a younger Turian solider fidgets. "This isn't looking good..."   
He rumbled his agreement. They weren't to attack the ships, but only disable them. It would be difficult since the batarians were currently charging up their cannons.   
Garrus reached for his earpiece. "Captain Victus, this is Vakarian."   
After a few seconds, Nihlus' voice filled his ear. "I read you, Gunnery Chief. And I know what you're thinking."   
"Then you understand that we must attack."   
"Vakarian, their are innocents aboard. Their lives are not to be put in harms way."  
'That means ours will be,' Garrus thought bitterly. "Sir, we need to act quick if we wish to disable the ships. The relay could be activated at any moment now."  
"Vakarian, aim for the thrusters. We're going to end this chase."

Oh, Garrus was going to kill Victus. He was going to destroy that idiot Turian! "Get to the emergency escape pods!" Garrus barked to those who were still at there stations as he ran down the bridge. "The ship is falling apart and we need to get-!" Another blast hit the ship, sending them all scrambling to the pods. Garrus quickly regained balance before continuing to the helm.   
Upon running in, the pilot dashed past him, slamming his shoulder into him. "Victus!" Garrus yelled, looking for the captain. He found him, staring grimly as the least of the damaged batarian ships jumped through the relay.   
"Good. You're here. We must hurry."   
"We need to go now-!"   
Victus ignored Garrus, instead turning and storming toward the elevator. Garrus growled. "Captain, we have to get to the pods! What are you waiting for?!"   
Adrien sighed, agitated with Garrus. "I'm taking you with me in a ship to follow them through the relay."  
"You're joking," Garrus groaned, but diligently joined him in the elevator. "We're going to die."  
Victus said nothing as the elevator went down.


End file.
